1. New England Patriots
Cory Dillon filled the Super Bowl Champs' biggest need.
2. Philadelphia Eagles
Added Jevon Kearse and Terrell Owens to a team that has made three-straight trips to the NFC Championship game.
3. Green Bay Packers
Solid offensive line, great running game, an adequate defense, and Brett Favre will keep them in contention.
4. Carolina Panthers
Not sure they can repeat the success of last year, but some nice additions should have them back in the playoff hunt.
5. Indianapolis Colts
Still sorely missing a run-stuffing defensive tackle.
6. Tennessee Titans
Steve McNair just seems to find ways to win. The Titans will be in the hunt again this year.
7. Kansas City Chiefs
Added some nice draft picks, but the Chiefs have done little to improve a defense that collapsed late last year.
8. Denver Broncos
Could be one of the most improved teams this year.
9. St. Louis Rams
With Bulger firmly entrenched as the starter, the Rams should rid themselves of Warner and the distractions of a QB controversy.
10. Dallas Cowboys
Only time will tell if they regret passing on Steven Jackson.
11. Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens didn't get the receiver they wanted, but they are still a very solid team.
12. Cincinnati Bengals
Losing Cory Dillon might be a plus for this team.
13. Minnesota Vikings
A lot depends on turning the defense around. Could be a Super Bowl run or another 9-7 collapse.
14. Seattle Seahawks
If the Seahawks can improve a pass defense that was among the worst in the game, they should make the playoffs.
15. Miami Dolphins
I'm not sure A.J. Feeley's the answer here.
16. Washington Redskins
Have the Redskins learned from past mistakes or will this be a repeat of recent seasons?
17. New York Jets
The return of Chad Pennington should return the Jets to playoff contenders.
18. Jacksonville Jaguars
With a solid run defense and what will soon be one of the top quarterbacks in the league, the future looks bright in Jacksonville.
19. Chicago Bears
Looks like another solid draft, but so much depends on the play of a second-year QB.
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs had a huge turnover in personnel. Could take a while for everyone to get on the same page.
21. Atlanta Falcons
A full season with Michael Vick automatically moves these guys up a few notches.
22. Houston Texans
This is the year the young guys should come together. Keep an eye on this team. Could be their first playoff run.
23. San Francisco 49ers
With Garcia and Owens gone, the Niners don't have a proven pass combo anymore.
24. Buffalo Bills
If Bledsoe doesn't bounce back from a bad season, the Bills will be at the bottom of the division again.
25. Cleveland Browns
Run defense still looks very questionable.
26. Oakland Raiders
Additions to the offensive line should help keep Gannon healthy, but there are still plenty of questions to answer.
27. Pittsburgh Steelers
Roethlisberger is a tremendous addition for the future, but if the Steelers are going to make a playoff run this year, Maddox must have a consistent season.
28. New York Giants
Look for a long losing season as Eli adjusts to the big leagues.
29. New Orleans Saints
Did little to address their biggest need... cornerback.
30. Detroit Lions
This team appears to be on the rebound, but they are still a year away from a serious playoff run.
31. Arizona Cardinals
As with the Lions, this is a team heading in the right direction, but still at least a season away.
32. San Diego Chargers
Still lots of holes to fill and a rookie QB to break in.

As I recall, the Texans were ranked from 30-32 before last season. Pretty good jump to 22.

i think the Ravens are definitely a top 5 team. they have one of the youngest rosters in the league and they didnt lose anyone important in the offseason. they added Kevin Johnson who is a reliable receiver, Devard Darling and Clarence Moore. as good as their defense was last season, its only getting better. The most important addition they made this offseason was bringing in Jim Fassel who should help with their offensive playcalling and with the development of Kyle Boller.

The Redskins always do this, they sign alot of people in the offseason Washington get's there hopes up on a big season and once again they BITE the DUST. I would like to see Washington win but I don't see it that likely

__________________Dom Capers - "When you combine good workout technique and talent, you get a winning combination.”

This is due to them being an NFL team longer. The expansion team will always get left off the list. Too unpredictable! But predict this......Texans make the playoffs this season! Write it in stone. Take it to Vegas. Start buying the tickets. You guys get the drift!

Power rankings mean nothing. Miami had a great power ranking last year at this time and they stayed home and watched the playoffs like us. Power rankings are opinions and nothing more. The real power rankings come in the win loss column.

I think the Redskins will turn it around this season or next. Gibbs succeeds at EVERYTHING he does. Unfortunately, their cap situation will be so horrible by 2007, that the roster will be chalked full of minimum salaried guys.

If we would have won a couple of the late 4th quarter losses, we might be on MNF this year. I bet the execs at ABC would love to have a Texan/titan match-up on Monday night, but they need to be sure it will be a competive game. So if we win more games this year and knock off the titans once, I can see us on MNF next year.

ESPN.com's Power Poll
This week's rankings were determined by a poll of ESPN.com's NFL staff -- senior
From espn

writers John Clayton, Len Pasquarelli and ESPN.com NFL editors Peter Lawrence-Riddell and James C. Black. Click here to send in a comment.
The 2004 season is still more than four months away (Colts at Patriots, Sept. 9), but with the draft in the rear-view mirror and the free-agent market mostly dried up, we figured it was time for some Power Rankings.
Unlike the last time they won the Super Bowl, the Patriots are heading into the 2004 season as the clear favorites. The same can't be said for the Panthers, who are looking up at three other NFC teams, including one team in their own division (Falcons) that only won five games last season.

The Raiders and Redskins both made big moves up the rankings after busy offseasons. Washington has fooled us before in the offseason, but this time we're betting on Joe Gibbs. As for teams heading in the opposite direction, the 49ers dropped all the way to No. 31 after an offseason that saw them lose Jeff Garcia and Terrell Owens.

2004 Power Rankings: Offseason

1 Patriots 14-2-0 Corey Dillon might be a pain, but the Patriots have to figure that as long as they're winning, they can get a good season or two out of him.
2 Eagles 12-4-0 With some big offseason acquisitions -- Terrell Owens and Jevon Kearse -- it's Super Bowl or bust for Donovan McNabb and the Eagles.

3 Colts 12-4-0 We're still not sure the defense is good enough to win it all, but with Peyton Manning at QB, the Colts will be in contention at the end of the season.

4 Broncos 10-6-0 We're assuming the Mike Shanahan can find a capable back to replace at least some of Clinton Portis' production.

5 Chiefs 13-3-0 Doesn't look like the defense got any better which isn't a good thing.

6 Seahawks 10-6-0 With solid additions on defense (Bobby Taylor and Grant Wistrom) and a young, explosive offense, the Seahawks enter 2004 as the favorites in the NFC West.

7 Falcons 5-11-0 Ranking is obviously high based on last season, but with a healthy Michael Vick the Falcons should be heading back to the playoffs.

8 Panthers 11-5-0 Another run for the Cats or the next franchise to go from Super Bowl to subpar?

9 Ravens 10-6-0 Terrell Owens would have really helped on a team that still figures to struggle throwing the ball.

10 Titans 12-4-0 One of these years, all the pounding and injuries are going to catch up to Steve McNair. Could this be the year?

11 Dolphins 10-6-0 The Dolphins are still calling Jay Fiedler their starter, but A.J. Feeley was brought in to win the job.

12 Packers 10-6-0 As long as Brett Favre is throwing the football, the Packers will be in contention in the NFC North.

13 Vikings 9-7-0 Vikings players probably still have a bitter taste in their mouths about how last season ended and a trip to the playoffs could be the only thing that will wash it away.

14 Rams 12-4-0 Marc Bulger might have made the Pro Bowl last season, but he has to be better than he was last season when he threw and NFL-high 22 INTs.

15 Cowboys 10-6-0 A veteran could be on the way, but for now, the QB situation has to be a bit of a concern for Cowboys fans.

16 Buccaneers 7-9-0 Some of the big names -- John Lynch and Warren Sapp -- might be gone, but expect the Bucs to be back in the playoff hunt.

17 Bengals 8-8-0 We're still scratching our head a little at the Chris Perry pick. Marvin Lewis is obviously smarter than we are, but it seems like there might have been some other players that would have been more of an immediate help.

18 Redskins 5-11-0 Will this be the season all of Washington's offseason spending finally pays off?

19 Raiders 4-12-0 Warren Sapp and Ted Washington should help turn around that 30th-ranked defense.

20 Jaguars 5-11-0 If the defense can maintain the level it showed last season, the Jags could be fighting for a playoff spot.

21 Bears 7-9-0 Lovie Smith has to be tempted by Kurt Warner, but we're not sure he's the right fit to mentor Rex Grossman, who doesn't need to be looking over his shoulder.

22 Saints 8-8-0 Deuce McAllister is as good as it gets at RB. But that hasn't been enough to get the Saints to the playoffs.

23 Bills 6-10-0 Willis McGahee's progress will be one of the most interesting storylines to watch this offseason.

24 Jets 6-10-0 Added speed on defense should help, but the Jets need Chad Pennington healthy from start to finish or all the speed in the world on defense won't help.

25 Lions 5-11-0 OK Joey Harrington, you've got some weapons now, so people are going to be expecting some results.

26 Steelers 6-10-0 Could another playoff miss end Bill Cowher's 12-year run in Pittsburgh?

27 Texans 5-11-0 They still have some holes, but have a potentially explosive offensive trio in David Carr, Andre Johnson and Domanick Davis.

28 Browns 5-11-0 Kellen Winslow is going to have an impact, but all that talk comparing him to LeBron James by his agents was just silly.

29 Giants 4-12-0 In this scenario the Giants would end up sending the Chargers the No. 4 pick in next year's draft.

30 Cardinals 4-12-0 Their wide receivers will be fun to watch, but the Cardinals still have a long way to go.

31 49ers 7-9-0 49ers could be fighting it out with the Cardinals this year in the NFC West -- and that's not for first place.

32 Chargers 4-12-0 The weather is great and all, but we're not sure we'd want our son playing for the Chargers, either.

Talk about no respect. Number 27, if that is the case we should have drafted 5th. (I guess having one of the strongest schuedules in the NFL and going 5 and 11 with several of those loses in the last minutes of the game mean nothing to ESPN.)

But thing again I forgot about the ESPN "I love Michael Vick, please be my friend Mike" fan club (#7 give me a break, he still has no weapons). I guess they will be eating crow when we prove them wrong.

I know it sounds like I just repeating myself here. But do they not watch our games, or read the Injury report to see what the Texans played thru. I'm thru venting. But it still is a load of crud.

i don't understand how everyone thinks the titans and falcons should be ranked higher than us...with all the people the titans lost this offseason do they really expect that defense to still be that good? and how does mike vick make that much difference especially if they are going to a west cost type offense...i know he's good but not 8 games on his own good...and the chiefs will not make it to the play offs this season...their defense is still horrible and their best reciever is tony G...not gonna happen this season...not with the broncos, chargers, and raiders all getting better

__________________
With the 10th overall pick in the 2007 NFL draft the Houston Texans select...?????

yeah, I agree that they are Mike Vick crazy. A 5-11 team getting the #7 power ranking? How do you base a team off of one player? It takes a team to win a championship in the NFL. Now if we were in the NBA, that would be a diff. story.

yeah, I agree that they are Mike Vick crazy. A 5-11 team getting the #7 power ranking? How do you base a team off of one player? It takes a team to win a championship in the NFL. Now if we were in the NBA, that would be a diff. story.

I could see the power ranking for a team swing from 26 or so to 7 or vice versa based on the loss or recovery of a proven great QB like Manning, but Vick at this point is still an athlete with a lot of potential as a QB on a team that had a horrible defense and is trying to convert D's. Seems a tad bit hype based.

We're not getting any love to be ranked 27th by ESPN. It seems like that's a line they use over and over since they don't know anything else about our team, "A potentially explosive young trio." They didn't even mention that almost our entire off season was devoted to our defense. We're going to turn some peoples heads and MAKE them notice us this season.